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List of Vancouver Canucks award winners
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Canucks joined the league in 1970-71 NHL season as an expansion team along with the Buffalo Sabres. In their history the team has captured the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl as Western Conference champions in 1982 and 1994, but lost in their two Stanley Cup appearances to the New York Islanders and New York Rangers. In the 2009-10 NHL season, Henrik Sedin became the first Canuck to win both the Hart Memorial and Art Ross trophies. While, Markus Naslund has played in five National Hockey League All-Star Games, the most in Canucks history. Three players have had their numbers retired by the Canucks organization. Stan Smyl became the first Canuck to have his #12 retired in 1991, followed by Trevor Linden's #16 in 2009, and Markus Naslund's #19 in 2010. Although they have been recognized for their accomplishments with different teams, Igor Larionov, Cam Neely, and Mark Messier are several Hockey Hall of Famers who have played for the Canucks during their careers. While owner, Frank Griffiths, coach Roger Neilson, general managers, Bud Poile and Jake Milford have been inducted as builders. The Canucks have six internal team awards. The Molson Cup is awarded to the player who earns the most three-star selections throughout the season. The Cyclone Taylor Trophy - given to the team's most valuable player; Cyrus H. McLean Trophy - recognizes the Canucks leading scorer; Babe Pratt Trophy - given to the best Canucks defenceman; Fred J. Hume Award - awarded to the Canucks unsung hero; and the Most Exciting Player Award - awarded to player, judged to be the most exciting on the team. Each of these awards are presented towards the end of the season. League awards Team trophies The Vancouver Canucks have won the Western (previously the Campbell) Conference two times in 1982 and 1994. Individual awards Pavel Bure was the first Vancouver Canuck to win a major NHL award winning the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1991–92, as the league's rookie of the year. The two most decorated Canucks players were former captains Trevor Linden and Markus Naslund. Linden was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in the 1989 season and won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 1997, and the NHL Foundation Player Award in 2008. During his era as team captain, Naslund was named to the NHL First All-Star Team from 2002–2004, and won the Lester B. Pearson Award in 2003. In the 2009-10 season, Henrik Sedin became the first Canuck to win both the Art Ross, and the Hart Memorial trophies. :† - Trevor Linden shared the NHL Foundation Player Award with Vincent Lecavalier of the Tampa Bay Lightning. :† - Marek Malik shared the plus/minus award with Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning. :† - Roberto Luongo is the sole winner of the Scotiabank Fan Fav Award. All-Star Game selections The National Hockey League All-Star Game is a mid-season exhibition game held annually between many of the top players of each season. Thirty-four All-Star Games have been held since the Canucks' inaugural season. The All-Star game has not been held in various years: 1995 and 2005 as a result of labour stoppages, 2006 and 2010 because of the Winter Olympics, 1979 and 1987 due to the Rendez-vous '87, and the 1979 Challenge Cup series between the NHL and the Soviet national team. The NHL also holds a Young Stars Game for first- and second-year players. The Canucks hosted the 1977 All-Star Game at the Pacific Coliseum and the 1998 NHL All-Star Game at General Motors Place. In 1977, Harold Snepsts was the lone Canucks representative as the Wales Conference defeated the Campbell Conference 4–3, in front of 15,607 in attendance. In 1997, both Mark Messier and Pavel Bure were the two Canucks representatives at the All-Star Game with Messier playing for the North America All-Stars and Bure with the World All-Stars. Team North America won the game 8-7, in front of a sold out crowd of 18,422. Currently, Markus Naslund played a franchise high five All-Star Games as a member of the Canucks. Career achievements Hockey Hall of Fame Before entering the National Hockey League, the Vancouver Canucks of the WHL and PCHL had six notable players and one builder that was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame. The list of Hall of Famers included Andy Bathgate, Johnny Bower, Tony Esposito, Allan Stanley, Gump Worsley, and former owner, Fred J. Hume who was inducted under the Builders category. Bill Cowley was also inducted as a player, although his only affiliation with the Canucks was general manager and head coach from 1948-49. Since entering the NHL in 1970, several members of the Vancouver Canucks organization have been honoured by the Hockey Hall of Fame. Cam Neely was the first Canucks player inducted, gaining election in 2005, although the majority of Neely's career and success was spent with the Boston Bruins. Within the next three years, Mark Messier would also be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007, along with Igor Larionov in 2008. Four members of team management have been inducted in the "Builders" category. Two former general managers Bud Poile and Jake Milford were the first two members inducted into the Hall of Fame. Poile was the Canucks first general manager in 1970 and was inducted in 1990, while Milford became general manager from 1977-1982, and led the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1982. Milford was then promoted as Senior Vice-President of the Canucks until his sudden death on Christmas Eve, 1984, which occurred one month after his induction. Long-time owner, Frank Griffiths would be the third Canucks builder to be inducted in 1993. Griffiths was the owner of the Canucks from 1974 until his death in 1994. In 2002, Former head coach Roger Neilson became the fourth Canucks builder to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Neilson started as an assistant coach, but eventually took over the coaching duties in 1982 after coach Harry Neale was suspended for taking part in an altercation with fans during a brawl in Quebec. In that same year, Neilson led the Canucks to the Stanley Cup finals and in Game 2 of the Campbell Conference Finals vs. the Chicago Blackhawks, he felt his team was unfairly penalized on several occasions during the third period and took a trainer's white towel and held it on a hockey stick, as if to say I give up. Three other Canuck players did the same thing, and all were ejected from the game. By doing so, Neilson inadvertently started a Canucks playoff tradition known as "Towel Power". Former Canucks radio broadcaster Jim Robson was named the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in 1992 for his years of service as the radio play-by-play announcer for the Vancouver Canucks. Robson was the radio voice of the Canucks from 1970-94. Robson also did additional work with CBC's Hockey Night in Canada calling three All-Star Games and is probably best remembered for his call of Bob Nystrom's Cup-winning overtime goal for the Islanders in 1980. Retired numbers The Vancouver Canucks have retired three numbers, and a fourth was retired league-wide. The Canucks retired #12 in honour of Stan Smyl who played right wing for the Canucks from 1978 to 1991. Trevor Linden's #16 was retired in 2009, and was recognized as "Captain Canuck" during his 17 years with the Canucks from 1988-98 and 2001-08. Markus Naslund's #19 was retired in 2010, and is the current Canuck record holder for most points, most goals, most powerplay goals, and tied with the most hat tricks during his tenure with the Vancouver Canucks. Wayne Gretzky's #99 was retired league-wide in 1999. Taken out of Circulation The Vancouver Canucks have also unofficially retired two numbers within their organization as remembrance to players whose playing careers were cut short tragically. Wayne Maki played left wing for the Canucks from 1970-73, and was one of the team's leading scorers in the franchises first two seasons. Unfortunately, Maki was diagnosed with brain cancer in December 1972 and died at the age of 29 in 1974. Since then Mark Messier has been the only Canuck to wear #11 in his brief stint with the Canucks. Luc Bourdon tragically died in a motorcycle accident on May 29, 2008, near his hometown of Shippagan, New Brunswick. At the 2008–09 NHL season opener, the Canucks honoured Bourdon with a brief pre-game ceremony and his last game-worn jersey was presented to his family by the fan who won the jersey during an annual charity event the previous season. Afterwards, Tom Cochrane and Red Rider performed "Big League" during the video tribute. The Canucks also wore "LB" on their helmets that season in memory of Bourdon and the Luc Bourdon Wall of Dreams was established to commemorate Bourdon at General Motors Place. Ring of Honour At the start of their 40th season, the Vancouver Canucks decided to launch the Ring of Honour to celebrate and salute Canuck heroes who have made a lasting impact on the franchise. Team awards Molson Cup The Canucks are one of several teams in Canada that award the Molson Cup to the player who is named one of a game's top three players, or "three stars", most often over the course of the regular season. Richard Brodeur and Pavel Bure have won the Molson Cup four times, the most in team history. Cyclone Taylor Trophy * Main: Cyclone Taylor Trophy The Cyclone Taylor Trophy is the award given each year to the most valuable player on the Vancouver Canucks. It is named after Cyclone Taylor, a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who led the Vancouver Millionaires to the Stanley Cup in 1915. The award was dedicated to him prior to the 1979-80 Canucks season, the season after his death on June 9, 1979, although an award for the Canucks MVP has existed since the team's inauguration in 1970. Markus Naslund has won the award five times. Cyrus H. McLean Trophy *''Main: Cyrus H. McLean Trophy'' The Cyrus H. McLean Trophy was named after Cyrus H. McLean who was the former team President of the WHL Vancouver Canucks from 1968-70. The trophy was first awarded in the Canucks first season, which recognizes the Canucks leading scorer over the course of the regular season. Markus Naslund has won the award the most times, leading the Canucks in scoring seven consecutive years, 1999 to 2006. Babe Pratt Trophy *''Main: Babe Pratt Trophy'' The Babe Pratt Trophy is given to the best Canucks defenceman, as voted by the fans. The trophy is presented at the last home game of the regular season. It was first awarded for the 1972-73 season as the Premier's Trophy, but as of the 1989-90 season, after the untimely death of Hockey Hall of Fame defenceman and Canucks goodwill ambassador Babe Pratt, the trophy was renamed in honour of him. Mattias Ohlund, Jyrki Lumme, Doug Lidster, and Harold Snepsts have won the award four times. Fred J. Hume Award *''Main: Fred J. Hume Award'' The Fred J. Hume Award is named after Fred J. Hume, who was the former mayor of Vancouver and owner of the Canucks while they were in the Western Hockey League. The team award is given out at the end of each NHL season to the team's unsung hero, as decided by the Vancouver Canucks Booster Club since the inaugural 1970-71 season. Currently, four players have won the award twice. Most Exciting Player Award *''Main: Most Exciting Player Award'' The Most Exciting Player Award is given to the player judged to be the most exciting, as voted by the fans. Although the Canucks Media Guide does not recognize any recipients prior to the 1992-93 season, there is record of an annual winner every year since the Canucks' inaugural season in 1970. Tony Tanti and Pavel Bure have won the award five times. Category: Award winners by National Hockey League team Category:Vancouver Canucks